Dragon Storm

by Lindsay Buroker

  Kaika smiled. “Something of the sort.”

  More than one hundred people, Jaxi told Trip. And then another hundred on the three well-armed sailing ships that are anchored in the protected bay the fortress is perched over. Another fifty in the airship above the bay.

  Trip relayed the information and added, “Some guile may be required.”

  “Excellent,” Kaika said.

  “I don’t suppose the person carrying the sword is a woman?” Kaika said. “We’re assuming the pirate king, but if it’s a woman, she could be a possible recruit for the Black Rose.”

  It’s a man, Jaxi said. But I believe I’ve located the sorceress, someone also living in that fortress. She’s definitely a woman. And this is interesting. I believe she has a soulblade.

  I thought soulblades were only given to the extremely deserving, Trip replied, not liking the way their enemies, and the likely power of their enemies, kept increasing.

  That’s how it worked centuries ago and among the Iskandians. The Cofah also knew how to make soulblades, and I’ve met Cofah wielders of them that I would definitely not consider deserving. As far as Sardelle and I have been able to learn, the ceremonies for creating and distributing soulblades died out three centuries ago, with the purging of the Referatu in Iskandia and the similar purge in Cofahre. Sardelle’s situation where she was caught in a stasis chamber for three hundred years seems to have been fairly unique. It’s likely that a sorceress carrying a soulblade today received it from an ancestor, rather than through an official ceremony.

  Or found it or stole it?

  Unlikely. Soulblades usually go dead, their souls being drawn off to the afterlife, if their handlers die and there’s no successor around for them to link with. Stealing a soulblade is very difficult since we are quite capable of protecting ourselves. Sardelle certainly could not carry me against my wishes. If one were stolen, it would likely be one of the dead ones I mentioned. This one is not dead. I can sense its aura.

  Realizing the others were staring at him and waiting for an answer, Trip passed along the information.

  “Just so you know,” Leftie said, “I find it very creepy that a sword is talking to you. And that you’re listening.”

  “I find it creepy that out of all the shirts down there, you chose a pink one,” Trip said. When in doubt, deflect the conversation to a different topic…

  “I told you, I couldn’t find any others that fit. I have broad shoulders. The pirates were all scrawny.”

  “All right, troops,” Blazer said. “We don’t have all day. I’m open to an attempt to sneak into the fortress and get the dragon-slaying sword tonight, but the sun just came up, so we have a long time before we can attempt that. We might as well gather information in the meantime so we have more of an idea about what we’ll be walking into tonight. Kaika, Ravenwood, and I will go out, as planned. Recruiting.” Her mouth twisted.

  “And the rest of us?” Duck asked. “We don’t all need to stay here and guard the ship, do we?”

  “You have grander plans?”

  “No, but I’m like a horse eager for a rider. I like to be useful.”

  Leftie whispered to Trip, “Did he just say he likes to be ridden?”

  Trip waved away the joke, mostly because he felt similarly to Duck. He didn’t want to twiddle his thumbs all day.

  “Maybe a couple of us could cross the island while you all are in the city,” he said, “and take a look at that fortress. When we were coming in, the island looked jungly and overgrown in the middle, so we might be able to get close without anyone noticing.”

  “I don’t think that’s true for you.” Rysha pointed a finger at his chest. “Not if you’re carrying Jaxi around. A chapaharii sword is going to sense anyone with dragon blood and magic, so I think it’ll know if you get close.”

  Trip’s shoulders slumped. “So, the others can spy, but I have to stay here?”

  He almost mentioned that he could leave Jaxi behind, but he might have enough dragon blood in his veins for the sword to sense, even without her. It wasn’t as if he knew how to hide his aura.

  “You and at least one other person should stay aboard the ship to guard it,” Blazer said. “Two others can go spy, if they’re careful. It will be easier to steal something if the owners aren’t anticipating it.”

  “Technically,” Rysha said, “we’re not stealing anything. The chapaharii sword—the name of the one I believe the pirate king stole is Brysdral, by the way—was stolen from an aristocratic Iskandian family. We’re retrieving it and can return it once the dragon threat is over.”

  “How noble of us.” Blazer headed for the docks. “Let’s go, Black Rose.”

  “I think she’s taken a liking to that name,” Kaika murmured, ambling after her.

  Rysha laid a hand on Trip’s arm before following them, and even though the sleeve of the pirate jacket he’d found covered his skin, he grew extremely aware of the touch—and how close beside him she stood.

  “If I die,” she told him, “do me a favor and don’t let them bury me like this.”

  “You’re not going to die,” he blurted, then noticed her smile, a somewhat worried one but a smile, nonetheless, and realized it had been joke. “I mean, nobody’s going to shoot you in that costume.”

  She snorted, her hand still resting on his arm. That was nice.

  “But since I know where you live now, I can certainly stop by and let your wishes be known.”

  “Good.” She squeezed his arm and walked off after the other women.

  Rysha didn’t sashay the way Kaika was doing, but Trip had a hard time tearing his gaze from her departure. Her hips weren’t the only thing the skirt hugged.

  Lustful imaginings, Jaxi observed.

  Grimacing, Trip turned to look out to sea. Do you comment on these kinds of things with Sardelle? And General Zirkander? He felt certain the soulblade gave them more respect.

  Jaxi’s answer was a long, ringing laugh. Or maybe that was a cackle.

  14

  Rysha followed Kaika and Blazer down the docks and to the street fronting the lagoon, doing her best to look like a woman who loved her attire and dressed in such clothing every day. She tried not to feel self-conscious about the pale skin on display, some of it very pale. She also tried not to worry about how much it would hurt if the tops of her boobs were sunburned. Ow.

  Instead, she thought of how amazing it was that she’d been chosen for this mission, exactly the kind of mission she’d dreamed of one day going on when she’d applied for the elite troops. Artillery officers didn’t get to infiltrate distant pirate bases, and who ever read about them in the newspapers? She was sure to make a name for herself this way, and she hadn’t even had to pass her training to receive the assignment. She decided that was a testament to her unique qualifications, not a sign that the army was desperate right now.

  “So, Ravy,” Kaika said, dropping back to walk beside her while Blazer strode ahead, glowering at anyone who gave them cross looks—granted, that wasn’t many people, as the only pirates they passed appeared very hung over. “Got any history on this place that might be useful?”

  “Ravy? Is that my spy name?”

  Kaika rolled her eyes. “You can’t very well have a noble Iskandian name out here. You’ll get shot.”

  “Captain Trip promised me that wouldn’t happen while I was in this outfit.”

  “I bet he did.”

  “As to history, the structures appear to be less than a hundred years old with the docks having been built even more recently. Either this hasn’t been a pirate hold for long, or occasional hurricanes have forced major rebuilding. They’re very common in this part of the world. The islands themselves have been included on the maps for centuries and centuries—a couple of the dragon riders of old were cartographers and flew all over the world when they had the opportunity. They left us with quite accurate maps. Did you know that Iskandar the Traveled, the man for whom our country was named, was one of those early map-mak
ing dragon riders? Modern editions of our textbooks leave out the fact that he rode dragons and shared some of their blood. Sadly, they reflect the current attitude toward magic. It’s extremely unfortunate when the biases of a population are allowed to influence the way history is portrayed.”

  “When I asked if you could tell me anything useful, I wasn’t fishing for a sleep aid. Come on, Ravy. What have you got about this place?”

  “Uhm.”

  A drunk whistled at them from an alley between two of the taverns. Fortunately, nobody lurched out of it to hit on them. Or worse.

  “Was that for you or for me, ma’am?” Rysha asked.

  “Either, both. Might be for Blazy. Some men like a challenge. Also, use ‘captain’ if you have to tack on an honorific.”

  “Right. Captain.” Rysha was beginning to think spy names simply involved adding a “y” to the end.

  “What I’d really like is the history of this pirate king who’s got the sword,” Kaika said quietly. “Did he take over the fortress on the other side of the island by force or did he build it? And how loyal are the legions he’s got living there with him? Will they truly defend him, or are they secretly hoping someone will kill him, so they can take over?”

  “Ah, I can definitely enlighten you on Neaminor. He’ll likely be in his fifties or sixties, as he’s been raiding southern and eastern Iskandia, Far Western Cofahre, and Nu-yen for at least twenty-five years. He’s reputed to have Cofah origins, a former soldier who went rogue.”

  “Like Tolemek, huh? The Cofah must not treat their soldiers well.”

  “The empire’s just huge, I think. Half the global population is on their main continent. Lots of people to eventually go pirate. Anyway, Neaminor wasn’t the first to form an entire fleet, with himself set up as king and numerous pirates working under him and giving him a cut, but he’s done it better than most pirates in this century. He also has an entrepreneurial streak, and he’s reputed to own land and businesses in many of the countries he’s—”

  Kaika lifted a hand. “I think Blazy has her eye on that tavern with the people eating on the covered porch. Sum up, please. Fortress? Legions?”

  “I do think it’s likely he built it, Captain. He may run the entire island chain. Also, if there have been dragon attacks here, and he’s got a dragon-slaying sword that he’s good at using, his people may feel quite loyal to him right now. And if he’s also got a sorceress working for him… I definitely recommend sneaking in rather than assuming his people won’t give their best to defend him. He, alone, should prove a formidable opponent.”

  “Any idea how close the sorceress is to him?” Kaika asked, lowering her voice further as she followed Blazer up steps to the tavern. “Is he married?”

  “Are you thinking of proposing to him if he’s available?”

  “It wouldn’t be my first proposal on a mission.” Kaika winked.

  Rysha barely kept herself from gaping at her. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but now she wondered just how far one was expected to go when it came to seducing the enemy. She’d imagined flirtation, perhaps a kiss, but proposing? Did that mean Kaika ended up having sex with a lot of her unwitting informants? Even though Rysha wanted to emulate her career, she couldn’t imagine throwing herself into bed with strangers.

  Kaika lifted a finger to her lips to end the conversation as she tilted her head toward the outdoor tables.

  The men eating on the porch were eyeing them with speculation. A couple of women, women dressed more like Blazer than Kaika or Rysha, eyed them with more hostile gazes.

  Kaika took the lead from Blazer and sat down at a table large enough for six. Two men sat across from each other on the end nearest the railing. The people eating in the outdoor restaurant appeared less hung over and more awake than the others their group had passed.

  “Those eggs smell good,” Kaika said, sidling close to one of the men. “Worth ordering again?”

  Both of them looked at her breasts, and neither objected to her closeness.

  Blazer sat on the far end of the table from them, watching their surroundings, apparently content to let Kaika do the seducing, or whatever she intended to do. Rysha would have been far more comfortable emulating Blazer, but Kaika was in her unit and did the work she one day might be sent to do. Though she had doubts, Rysha sat down across the table from her and next to the other man.

  His eyes lit, and he spent a long time examining her chest as his buddy explained the limited meal options to Kaika while slinging an arm around her shoulders. Kaika looked like she enjoyed the familiarity, though Rysha couldn’t see how. The men weren’t hideous—in fact, Kaika had chosen the better-looking options on the porch—but Rysha didn’t care for their unshaven beard scruff or the way they were so open with their leers. Gentlemen wouldn’t stare so.

  She thought of Trip, the way his eyes had bulged when she’d walked out in her skimpy costume. He’d glanced at her breasts, but he’d been quick to look away. When he’d looked back, he’d kept his gaze on her face. She wouldn’t have minded if he’d been a little less of a gentleman, in truth. Instead, that Leftie had been the one less subtle about his scrutiny. Though even he hadn’t been as brazen as these pirates.

  “…all-women pirate outfit?” Kaika’s man snorted, and Rysha made herself focus on the conversation. She was supposed to be learning how to extract information, not thinking about which men she approved of eyeing her boobs. “That can’t work. Women aren’t strong enough.”

  “How strong do you need to be to shoot someone?” Kaika asked, leaning into the man’s side. Rysha was fairly certain she had a hand on his thigh too. Kaika plucked a small, oval fruit off his plate and lifted it to her mouth. “We’re not looking to invade Cofahre. We just find likely prospects and go visit them when they’re not ready for visitors.”

  “You’d need some brawn for when they try to visit back.”

  “We disappear after and make sure they never see us again.” Kaika slid the fruit part way into her mouth, half sucking on it, half exploring its texture with her tongue. Then she drew it out again.

  The man watched, his gaze riveted. Kaika took a tiny nibble from the end.

  “Mm, tart but sweet,” she said. “I bet there are some women here on the islands that are good enough to work in an operation like ours.”

  Under the table, a hand came to rest on Rysha’s thigh. Her bare thigh. The damn skirt had slid up. She froze. It was all she could do not to bolt.

  The man smiled and slid his hand up and down her leg. She wanted to avoid looking at him in the hope that he would get bored and move it, but she doubted that would happen. She reached under the table, gripped his hand, and moved it off her leg. Just because she was dressed as a promiscuous pirate didn’t mean she had to be an easy promiscuous pirate.

  “Maybe Tronya,” Kaika’s man said, “but she’s a real mean witch, and she’s got that sword.”

  Rysha wondered if he was fondling her thigh. She was probably too busy fondling his.

  “Sword?” Kaika laughed, a very sultry laugh, and her breasts brushed his shoulder. She wasn’t a gorgeous woman, but she sure knew how to use what she had. “How quaint. What century does she think this is?”

  “It’s a magic sword,” Rysha’s man said, leaning forward. “A witch sword. And that’s what she is. A witch. Some men wanted to hang her a few years back, and she incinerated them. I was there. I saw it. Nearly crapped myself. A real live witch.”

  Rysha hoped this sudden interest in the conversation meant he would be distracted from leg fondling, but he reached over and captured her thigh again, his grip firmer this time, a warning in it. As if to say, he wouldn’t appreciate it if she moved his hand again.

  Despite getting a late start with kissing, Rysha wasn’t completely uninitiated to men and sex, but she found the situation alarming. It had taken Brafford Brambleridge three months to do more than kiss her, and they hadn’t had sex for closer to nine. She tried to tell herself this oaf wasn’t going t
o do anything at a public table, but the way his thumb was now rubbing her made panic well up in her chest.

  Why hadn’t she sat at the end with Blazer? Nobody was molesting her.

  “A magic sword,” Kaika said with a dismissive snort.

  “It’s true,” her man said. “She’s killed a lot of pirates who’ve crossed her path and plenty of others too.”

  “Yeah?” Kaika looked to Blazer. “We’ve done well of late with just the three of us, but I could use another enforcer in my outfit. Think she wants to join the Black Rose?”

  Rysha tried to scoot farther from her man as he pushed her skirt higher. His grip tightened even further. She would have had a hard time moving without slamming a palm strike into his jaw. A fantasy that was taking root in her mind.

  Kaika’s man laughed. “Oh, sure. Tronya’s going to leave the pirate king’s bed to join some nobodies that I’ve never heard of.”

  “We’re new. You’ll hear about us lots soon.” Kaika bit off half of the piece of fruit she’d been playing with, her face blissful as she chewed. Her tongue slipped out, moving along her lips.

  “You’re only recruiting women?” her man asked, watching her tongue like a hawk.

  “Only interested in women,” Kaika said agreeably.

  “What do you three do alone out there? Without any men?” He leered, including Blazer and Rysha in his gaze.

  “Oh, we keep ourselves entertained. I’m sure this Tronya would find us fun. Hard to believe she’s happy with some geezer. Neaminor has been around forever. He’s got to be a hundred or more.”

  “He’s not that old. Maybe sixty. Real fit, though. He comes into town sometimes, and he was the one that led the charge to drive off that dragon last month. Most people here respect him fine. Even though he sleeps with a witch out in his fortress. I doubt she’s fun—” he shuddered, “—but she’s a beauty, so it’s not impossible to see why he likes the arrangement.”

  “Must be nice to have a fortress,” Kaika said. “I figure we’ll have the kind of money for that in a couple years.”